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In Memory of
John Franken
1921 - 2012
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Obituary of John Franken

On March 26, 2012, John Evert Franken joined his Heavenly Father, his family, and friends who went home before him. He died at Hospice House in Bellingham, after a brief hospitalization. His wife and helpmate of 64 years, Ann (van den Berg), survives him. He was 90 years old.

John was born June 6, 1921 in Meester Cornelis, Netherlands East Indies (Jakarta,

Indonesia) to Fredrick Cornelius and Wilhelmina Christina (van der Geugten) Franken. He was one of 5 children. After completing high school, John attended the Dutch Royal Military Academy (KMA) in Bandung, but his education was interrupted when WWII broke out. He was interned in the Japanese camp, Changi, as a prisoner of war for 3-1/2 years.

After his release in August 1945, he served in the Royal Dutch Indies Army (KNIL). While stationed in Bandung, he met his wife, Ann, a Red Cross nurse deployed there. Their first child, John, was born in Bandung when the East Indies were still under Dutch control. In January 1950, John was sent on recuperation furlough to the Netherlands and continued his duties as a captain in the Dutch Army.

In 1953, John, Ann, and their three young children emigrated to the United States. Like many of their army colleagues, they settled in Seattle, which was the home of their sponsors, Maynard and Paulene Quinm.

John worked his way up through various jobs, eventually joining the Reynolds Corporation, a Seattle-based display fixtures company as a bookkeeper. He eventually became the general manager.

An active churchman, John helped establish Lynwood CRC and served on the board of Watson-Groen (now Shoreline) Christian School, Seattle, for many years. In 1984, John and Ann answered a call from the Lord to go to Papua New Guinea to start a building project for Habitat for Humanity. They served for two years before returning to the U.S. and settling in Lynden, Washington in 1986. Upon their return, they were instrumental in starting Habitat for Humanity in Whatcom County. Through their generous gifts, they were benefactors of a Bible college in Indonesia as well as a deep water well for a remote area in South Sudan.

For many years, John was also a pilot and flew his own Cessna to many places in the western U.S. The Frankens also drove their R.V. to southern California and Mexico during the winter months and were active members of Desert Chapel in Palm Desert.

John and Ann enjoyed their retired life in Lynden, and they were often seen walking hand in hand from their home on Depot Road. They were actively involved in several Lynden churches. Their last few years have been spent living comfortably at Lynden Manor.

In addition to his loving wife, John leaves behind his son John and wife Sandi (maiden name?) of Smithers, B.C.; son Robert and wife Nancy (Kinney) of St. Louis, MO and daughter Irene Mielke of Lynden; son-in-law Lee Mielke of Lynden; plus 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

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